ADS inserts honey bees in school meals

The goal is to extend the inclusion of all state schools by the end of this year.

21/09/2016 06h27 - Updated 21/09/2016 14h00

Photo: Divulgação/ADS

The Amazonas Sustainable Development Agency (ADS) entered, for the first time, honey of native stingless bees in school lunch students published state schools in the city of Boa Vista do Ramos (a 268 kilometers from Manaus) and the goal is to extend the inclusion of all state schools by the end of this year.

According to the CEO of ADS, Lissandro Breval, the action was through the School Meal Regionalization Program (Tap) and had the partnership of the Social Promotion Fund (FPS), the Brazilian Cooperatives Organization (OCB) and the State Department of Education (Seduc).

He pointed out that the investment will strengthen family beekeeping Boa Vista do Ramos and generate excellent results for the state's economy and to the health of students of the state besides ensuring more health students.

"There is no doubt about the importance of honey to feed students. All state schools will receive this product, It is not that expensive, considering its high nutritional value. And besides enriching the menu of school meals, generate employment and income, taking advantage of the production of farmers in our state ", highlights Breval.

The president of the Cooperative of Amazon Indigenous Bees Breeders (Coopmel), Jair Rodrigues Arruda, It ensures that beekeepers in the city of Boa Vista Ramos are gaining an important market to market your crop, from this year, through Preme.

"Sales for school meals is feasible from an economic point of view and will be a key market for beekeepers in Boa Vista do Ramos. We are selling today at a price of R $ 50 per kilogram of honey and now that we were selected for this ADS program, we are expecting to increase our production 2 tons per year for up 4 t in 2017 and this is only possible due to government purchase guarantee ", said the president of the association.

Acceptance Testing
To ensure that students receive good quality products, are acceptability tests, with students 7 (Seven) districts in the capital Manaus, accompanied by nutritionists from the State Department of Education (Seduc) and coordinators of school meals. On test, students prove honey and answer a form if liked or honey, without being identified.

Leticia Beatriz Muniz student, 15 years, the State School Lucena Antonio Bittencourt, in Bethany neighborhood, South of Manaus, It says that honey is tasty and is approved. "It is very good that we are getting in our meals over a food and especially as honey, it's sweet and tasty, and even more knowing that is good for health ", reported.

Benefits of Honey
According to nutritionist Seduc, Jaine Marques, acceptance of honey in meals was great and explains the benefits of honey in improving student performance in the classroom. "The honey is an important source of carbohydrates, It has slow absorption of the blood sugar, providing a feeling of satiety and avoid hunger peaks during class. Honey also helps in developing gastrointestinal, It is a natural antiflamatório and will greatly contribute to the student's attention in the classroom ", explains nutritionist.

Social development
The Coopmel invested around R $ 1 million for the construction of factory, including a boat to transport honey and a sawmill, strengthening the productive chain of family beekeeping in Boa Vista do Ramos.

O presidente da OCB, Petrucio Magalhaes Junior, It says that investing in economic alternatives is the way for the development of the region. "The production exist, but beekeepers had difficulties to market honey and selling for school meals, we are ensuring the production and more work and income opportunities ", concluded.